Cleveland Browns' Lonnie Phelps arrested for DUI after allegedly crashing into Key West restaurant
KEY WEST — Cleveland Browns player Lonnie Phelps was arrested late Wednesday night on DUI-related charges after he allegedly crashed an SUV into a Florida Keys restaurant.
Phelps, 23, a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, was charged with DUI after he rammed his vehicle into the Red Shoe Island Bistro, located at 411 Petronia Street in Key West, according to a police report obtained by Cleveland.com.
Key West police said Phelps refused a breath test and was noncooperative with officers. The report stated that he and a female passenger appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash.
A 23-year old was arrested for DUI after crashing his vehicle into a Petronia Street restaurant Wednesday night. The building and the vehicle were significantly damaged, but there were no injuries.
Posted by Key West Police Department on Thursday, June 20, 2024
The building and vehicle were "significantly damaged" during the crash, the Key West Police Department stated on Facebook. No injuries were reported.
The restaurant shared video of the damage on their Facebook page, which showed the dining room filled with rubble from the wall and the hole in which Phelps' car went through. According to Red Shoe Island Bistro, they were closed when the crash happened.
No one was hurt by the car that drove into our restaurant tonight. Thankfully, we were closed. It could’ve been really bad…Angels were looking out for us all. We will reopen as soon as possible. Thanks for your support and patience.
Posted by Red Shoe Island Bistro on Wednesday, June 19, 2024
"It could've been really bad... Angels were looking out for us all," Red Shoe said on their post. "We will reopen as soon as possible."
Joseph Schroeder, the building's owner, told Cleveland.com that the crash caused about $300,000 in damages.
A Browns spokesperson told Cleveland.com that the team is aware of the incident and gathering more information.
Phelps, who turns 24 in August, went undrafted last year out of the University of Kansas and signed with the Browns. The Cincinnati native spent the 2023 season on the team's practice squad and did not appear in a regular-season game, CBS Sports reported.